Songbird
by heymiickey
Summary: Prompt from tumblr: Emma/Regina/Henry: Emma taked Regina and Henry to a local pond and teaches them both how to ice skate.


Prompt from tumblr: Emma/Regina/Henry: Emma takes Regina and Henry to a local pond and teach them both how to ice skate.

AN: I know it isn't exactly what was asked, but that was what came into my mind

Rating: T

Pairing: Swan Queen.

Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own Once Upon a Time.

**Thanks to my beta: Regina's Hourglass (who should write more, I'm just saying)**

Songbird

_"And the songbirds are singing_  
_like they know the score..."_

Regina was sitting on her coat, knees hugged to her chest as she watched Henry and Emma zip around on the ice of the frozen lake. She had been cooking dinner for the three of them yesterday (Miss Swan had been staying longer and longer each time she spent time with Henry, and Regina hated the look on his face when she told Emma she had to go), and Emma had been regaling Henry with tales of her life in Boston. She had just been describing her neighbourhood, and upon mentioning the ice rink, lapsed into happy memories of the time spent there. The grin on Emma's face had prompted Regina to look up from her saucepan and ask what exactly it was that she did at this ice rink, but the answer surprised her. Although she knew Miss Swan wasn't exactly ladylike, she still didn't seem… tough enough for ice hockey.

Henry, however, seemed ecstatic. Regina dimly remembered that he had been obsessed with the Maine Black Bears at one point, before that damn Snow White had given him that book, and all other interests and hobbies had faded away. But it seemed he still remembered the pull ice hockey had on him. Perhaps it was this that made her agree when Emma had suggested going down to the lake to play a few games. She never would have dreamed of it otherwise; the lake was so dangerous! What if Emma accidentally hit Henry instead of the puck? What if…?

But the memory of Henry sitting at the kitchen table, chattering away about how the Bears were doing in the league tables, eyes sparkling even as she just nodded her head and 'mm-hmm'ed in the right places, had her nodding her head, and declaring that she would pack a picnic.

And here they were today, the only ones for miles. She had to admit (grudgingly, perhaps) that Emma had been responsible; she had gone over the rules with Henry, given him protective equipment, skated over the lake to check for thin ice, found a wooden puck instead of a metal one…

Both Henry and Emma had beseeched Regina to play with them. She had looked at them sharply, suspicious of their motives. Shouldn't they be using this time to rub in her face how close they were? Shouldn't Henry be hugging Emma like he used to hug Regina? Shouldn't Emma be stealing Henry away, nodding her head sympathetically as he poured out his tales of woe, of how Regina was_soooo_ evil?

But instead, the two were all bundled up in their winter clothes, Henry looking more like a beach ball than a child, Emma looking ten years younger, with her chapped lips, bright eyes, windswept hair underneath her trapper hat and glowing red cheeks, and they were begging her to come onto the ice with them, not an ounce of suspicion or mocking in their eyes. Henry looked as trusting as he did years ago, and Emma's dancing eyes were open and innocent.

She had, of course, declined- but as their faces fell, she felt an odd twinge, and without meaning to, had promised a game or two later, if they were that desperate. They had both beamed, and Henry had grabbed Emma by the mittened hand and dragged her onto the ice a she laughed, waving to Regina all the while.

She had found a tree near the lake to sit underneath, the fan of branches protecting both her and the ground from snow. She wasn't so close that the powder from the blades of the skates had covered her, but she wasn't so far that she couldn't hear the yells, shouts and laughter coming from the lake.

Her mouth was turned up at the corners in a definite smile. It wasn't typical Regina; it wasn't a sneer, a smirk, it didn't signify anybody's impending doom- it was a gentle, natural smile in response to Emma and Henry's laughter.

She had tried to stamp down on the warm fuzziness by reminding herself that Henry hadn't laughed like that since before Miss Swan got here, but it was no use. Did it really matter quite so much who caused it, as long as Henry was laughing? She couldn't quite erase the picture from earlier, Emma and Henry looking childish and innocent, inviting her to be part of their group, no guile or resentment in their eyes. If they could forgive her so quickly, if they could completely forget what she had supposedly done- why couldn't she?

She was so immersed in her thoughts, smile still playing around her lips, that she didn't see Emma say something to Henry, didn't see him nod attentively and smile a mischievous smile as Emma jokingly swatted him around the head, didn't see Henry head across the lake as Emma unlaced her boots, so was taken completely by surprise when a thud accompanied by the sigh only the truly exhausted are capable of came from her side, and she was caught full in the face by a cloud of snow Emma had shaken from her scarf.

She turned towards the woman who was in the process of making herself comfy next to Regina (very close to Regina, actually, but she supposed that there was only one coat to sit on) and was on the verge of issuing a biting retort when she looked, she _really _looked at Emma. The childish joy in her eyes matched the wide grin on her face, and suddenly, the Evil Queen had no desire to snap at her. Maybe Henry had made her soft, but she just couldn't be the one to wipe the smile off her face.

Emma looked up from her handiwork, having managed to cover both her legs completely with one scarf (quite an impressive feat) and saw Regina staring at her. Regina fought down the blush that was threatening to rise- god knows she never usually blushed.

'Smiling, blushing- is this the magic of Christmas?'  
Emma spoke in a low voice, then coughed, looking endearingly embarrassed at the throaty tone. Neither woman had looked away, and Emma was as close to Regina as she was earlier- no, even closer. Their thighs weren't touching before.

Regina's breath caught as she took note of this, and lifted her chin slightly before replying with 'It's good to see him happy.'

Emma looked serious as she nodded. 'This has to work out, you know. You and I.'  
Regina's head span as Emma said 'you and I'. Surely she- but- how could she- did she know? But she relaxed somewhat as Emma continued with 'Yeah, you and I. As a team, you know?'

Regina felt like she was going to explode as the other woman flicked her tongue out to moisten her full lips, smirked, and whispered 'We have to get a bit… closer.'

'And- and how do you think we should go about doing that?' Regina breathed. Emma's face was suddenly right in front of hers, but Regina's thoughts were so muddled she didn't know who it was who had moved.

'I think you know, Madame Mayor,' Emma teased in that same whisper. Regina could see every freckle, every eyelash, the irises of her eyes.

After Regina didn't respond, she sighed and shook her head, but the mischievous twinkle in her eyes remained.

'So reluctant to make the first move…'

Regina hadn't even time to open her mouth, let alone respond, when she felt soft lips crash into hers and two hands slide themselves into her hair. Her eyelids had instinctively shut, and it only took a millisecond for her to relax into Emma's kiss.

It felt like she was kissing a flame… hot lips melding themselves to hers, warm hands on her neck, and as she slid a hand underneath Emma's jumper to caress her back, she found that there, too, was the polar opposite to the harsh weather.

She could practically feel herself melting, softening, opening her soul to Emma's questing lips. As arms wrapped around her waist, the world stopped spinning and they were the only two who existed.

All of their baggage had been left behind when lips first met. The Evil Queen and the Saviour… who were they? It was just Emma and Regina, Regina and Emma, and they felt so _right_ together. Never before had Regina felt so vulnerable, yet so safe… Nothing could hurt them when they were together like this, when she could smell Emma's perfume, feel the pulse flutter in her neck, feel the adrenaline shooting through her veins at this ecstatic moment.

She never wanted it to end, but all too soon she felt Emma gently pull away, but leaving her hands running through Regina's hair. Their breath came in short gasps as they looked at each other, their gaze conveying more than words could ever say… Surprise, wonder, joy, and maybe even love was evident in both their faces.

When Regina rested her forehead against Emma's, felt eyelashes brush against her cheeks, enjoyed her warmth, she felt something she was unable to name. Something like magic. The most powerful magic of all.

And as their lips found each other again, neither woman saw Henry grin and stop skating. 'Finally!' he whispered, doing a small victory punch. Then he skated off to practise his jumping, mind already whirling with plans to get Emma to move in.

_"And I love you, I love you, I love you_

_Like never before"_

(Songbird- Fleetwood Mac)

The End.


End file.
